Protein in funnel-web spider venom 'protects' brain from stroke

The deadly venom of Australia's funnel-web spider may one day be used to treat stroke patients.

Researchers at The University of Queensland and Monash University have found that a protein in the DNA of the spider's venom can protect the brain from damage in the crucial hours after a stroke.

"We believe that we have, for the first time, found a way to minimise the effects of brain damage after a stroke," said Professor Glenn King from the UQ Institute for Molecular Bioscience.

During a stroke, brain cells die because of a lack of oxygen and glucose caused by an obstruction to blood flow to organs.

Hi1a works by blocking acid-sensing in channels in the brain, the key drivers of brain damage after stroke.

Preclinical studies in rats, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences US journal, showed a single dose of Hi1a administered up to eight hours after a stroke protected brain tissue and drastically improved neurological performance.

Prof. King said the protein offered an "exceptional" level of protection during a reasonably lengthy window of opportunity for treatment.